Lancaster County Crime Stoppers is reapproaching how it’s communicating its mission of giving cash rewards to tipsters who help police solve crimes.

In particular, Lancaster County Crime Stoppers is changing how it tries reaching potential tipsters. To that end, the group is soon launching a test model where witnesses of crimes are given a business card with reminders that cash rewards can be given for tips and a QR code that leads directly to a link where tips can be submitted anonymously.

Other methods of reaching potential tipsters include a more active social media presence and potential new partnerships with local media organizations to bring awareness to unsolved crimes of public interest.

The digital age has introduced new challenges to communication that have threatened the long-standing Crime Stoppers model. Unsolved crimes that were previously highlighted almost exclusively through Lancaster County Crime Stoppers are now broadcast by individual law enforcement agencies on social media. Toll free 1-800 numbers for anonymous tips have been supplanted by tipsters directly contacting police departments online or through other means. Previous partnerships between Lancaster County Crime Stoppers and local news outlets have withered as information shifted from print format to online.

Since 1987, Lancaster County Crime Stoppers has helped solve untold numbers of cases and awarded tens of thousands of dollars in rewards to tipsters. Though the number of tips received through Crime Stoppers has greatly decreased in recent years, the general consensus among Lancaster County police chiefs is that Crime Stoppers remains a useful but under-utilized tool to encourage witnesses of crimes to step forward with information.

Money remains to be given by Lancaster County Crime Stoppers to tipsters who help police solve crimes. Rewards can be given out anonymously.

Anyone with information that can help identify a suspect or solve a crime is eligible for cash rewards of up to $1,000 through Lancaster County Crime Stoppers. Tips can be given anonymously.

Law enforcement officials can also nominate tipsters for awards if they believe the information given was critical to solving a crime.

Please follow Lancaster County Crime Stoppers on Facebook and Crime Watch for updates on new cases.